Navigating NIH: Succeeding as an

Independent Investigator

Karen M. Emmons, Ph.D. Associate Dean of Research Office of Research Strategy & Development Harvard School of Public Health

Faculty Life at Harvard

• Build your research program

• Develop collaborations to expand your research in innovative areas

• Develop courses, teaching expertise

• Advise, mentor

Research

Student engagement

Teaching

What Does It Take to be an Independent Investigator?

• Ideas for a program of research in an important scientific area

• Pilot data

• Excellent writing and communication skills

• Good organizational and planning skills

• Tenacity

FUNDING!!

How to Design a Funding Stream: The World According to Karen

• Identify your very best developed idea • Apply for most ‘independent’ mechanism you can

• Develop the strongest application

• In “down times”, begin developing next idea • Consider internal pilots, smaller mechanisms

• When Idea #1 is submitted, write grant for Idea #2

• When Idea #2 is submitted, conduct work that would address weaknesses in Idea #1 or set you up if funded

• Until you are fully funded, try to keep a couple of ideas in the “pipeline” simultaneously

Funding Sources • NIH • Corporate-Sponsored Research • Foundations

Funding Types • Research grants • Pilot grants • Gifts

NIH Funding 101

• Grant: Investigator decides the research to be designed or developed and the approach • ~ 84-88% of extramural awards

• Contract: Government decides the research to fill their perceived need and establishes detailed requirements • ~ 8-10%

• Cooperative Agreement: Similar to grants, but awarding Institute/Center (IC) and recipient have substantial involvement in carrying out the project’s activities • ~ 4-6%

3 Funding Instruments for Extramural Research

• Investigator-Initiated Research • Program Announcements (PA) • Unsolicited, from general institute extramural budget • R01, R21, R03 • ~ 80% of awards

• Request for Applications (RFA) • Solicited; set-aside of funds for a certain number of awards • One-time competition to stimulate research in a priority area • R01, R21, R03, P01, Cooperative Agreement • If an RFA submission is not successful, a subsequent application

should be submitted as a new application, not a resubmission • ~ 10% of awards

Mechanisms for NIH To Get Research Proposals

• Program Announcement and Special Review (PAR/S) • Solicited, but no set-aside of funds

• Reviewed by special emphasis panel

• Program Announcement (PA) • Solicited, but no set-aside of funds

• Reviewed by standing study section

Mechanisms for NIH To Get Research Proposals, continued

Watch for Funding Opportunities

• NIH Weekly Guide http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/

• Harvard Catalyst Grant Central https://grants.catalyst.harvard.edu/grants/spring/home

• Proprietary Funding Opportunity Databases

• Community of Science http://pivot.cos.com/funding_main

• InfoEd SPIN http://www.infoed.org/new_spin/spinmain.asp

NIH Investigator Status

Types of NIH Investigator Status

New Investigator • A Principal Investigator (PI) who has not yet competed successfully

for a substantial, competing NIH research grant (R01 or ‘higher’) is considered a New Investigator http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/resources.htm

Early Stage Investigator (ESI) • An individual who is classified as a New Investigator and is within

10 years of completing his/her terminal research degree or is within 10 years of completing medical residency (or the equivalent)

What Affects NI/ESI Status?

• PI of an R03 or R21? No

• PI of an NIH contract? No

• PI of a grant with another Federal agency? No

• PI of an SBIR/STTR? No

• PI of a U01, specifically for a foreign investigator? Receipt of U01 removes NI status.

• Inheriting an R01 from a PI who moved away or died? No

Multiple PIs • To facilitate multi-disciplinary, “team” science

• Think carefully before submitting MPI application: • Does multiple PI approach fit the science?

• Each PI must play key role and/or contribute critical intellectual input into project

• How will multiple PI application affect your NIH funding strategies? • For new investigators, inclusion in MPI application may make it difficult to

establish your own identity • New Investigators funded through MPI will lose new PI status • If MPI includes established PI, application will not qualify for NI payline

• Must include a Leadership Plan describing roles, responsibilities, and working relationship of the PIs • How will you share leadership of the project?

Multiple PIs: Additional Considerations/ Cautions

• May be more complex to write MPI proposals • Must have clear Leadership Plan describing roles, responsibilities and

working relationships of PIs

• May be more difficult to ensure pieces of proposal are well integrated and coordinated

• MPI applications are more difficult to get funded

NIH Application and Funding Process

So How Does This All Work?

• You have an idea! • You identify an appropriate NIH institute • You find out about their priorities • You talk with a Program Official • You decide which of the eligible funding mechanisms are the best fit

(e.g. R01) • You watch the funding announcements and see an RFA, RFP,

PAR, or PA that fits your research • You identify best study section • You write the grant!

Questions so far??

Reviewing Bodies

• Institutional Review Groups (IRG) • Study Section-- Review Group for CSR

• Members • Appointed for multi-year terms of service

• A number of temporary ad hoc members are typically assigned to each meeting

• Special Emphasis Panels • Review groups formed on an ad hoc basis to review applications

requiring special expertise (RFAs) or when a COI occurs

Reviewing Bodies continued

Review Group Descriptions Web page

http://cms.csr.nih.gov/peerreviewmeetings/csrirgdescriptionnew/

IRGs (Institutional Review Groups)

AARR – AIDS and Related Research IDM – Infectious Diseases and Microbiology

BBBP – Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes IFCN – Integrative, Functional, and Cognitive Neuroscience

BCMB – Biological Chemistry and Macromolecular Biophysics

IMM – Immunology

BDCN – Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience IMST – Interdisciplinary Molecular Sciences and Training

BST – Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies MDCN – Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Neuroscience

CB – Cell Biology MOSS – Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences

CVRS – Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences OBT – Oncology 1 – Basic Translational

DKUS – Digestive, Kidney and Urological Systems OTC – Oncology 2 – Translational Clinical

EMNR – Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences

PSE – Population Sciences and Epidemiology

ETTN – Emerging Technologies and Training in Neurosciences

RPHB – Risk, Prevention & Health Behavior SBIB – Surg Sciences, Biomedical Imaging, & Bioengineering

GGG – Genes, Genomes and Genetics HDM – Healthcare Delivery & Methodologies

VH – Vascular and Hematology

Cell Biology IRG [CB] Research applications that focus broadly on the study of fundamental cell biological processes, including the functions, interactions and regulation of cells and cellular organelles. Reviews applications that involve a variety of disciplines including biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry, and genetics, and use a variety of techniques including microscopy, genomics, proteomics and computational techniques, with the primary goal of better understanding cell functions.

Topics to be covered include: • cell growth, proliferation, and cell cycle control; • nuclear architecture and transport; • RNA trafficking and localization; • post-translational modifications, protein processing, glycosylation and folding; • membrane structure and function; • lipid traffic and metabolism; • cell asymmetry and polarity; • ion transport and regulation, channels, transporters and junctions; • organelle biogenesis, function, dynamics and protein translocation; • the secretory pathway, endocytosis, exocytosis and phagocytosis; degradative processes; • cell fusion; extracellular matrix and ECM receptors; • signaling mechanisms and networks; • integrative cell physiology including circadian clocks, stress and oxidative damage response; • motors, filaments and cargoes; cell locomotion; mitosis and meiosis; • programmed cell death and apoptosis

So How Does This All Work?

• You have an idea!

• You identify an appropriate NIH institute

• You find out about their priorities

• You talk with a Program Official

• You decide which of the eligible funding mechanisms are the best fit (e.g. R01)

What is the best mechanism for my project?

Common NIH Research Mechanisms

Common R Grants

R03 Small

Research Grant

R21 Exploratory Research

Grant

R01 Investigator-

Initiated Research Grant

Obtain preliminary data

Explore a novel or high-risk research area

Preliminary data may be included

Hallmark of an established, independent investigator

Often provides a steady “stream” of funding

Must include preliminary data

Small Research Grant Program (R03) • Discrete, well defined projects that realistically need 2 years and

limited levels of funding ($50K dc/year): • Pilot or feasibility studies, collection of preliminary data,

secondary analysis, small, self-contained research projects, new technology development

• Evaluated on conceptual framework & general approach

• Justified through literature citations, data from other sources, or from investigator-generated data

• Preliminary data are not required, particularly in applications proposing pilot or feasibility studies

• http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-163.html R03

Small Research

Grant

Small Research Grant Program (R03)– When to Apply

• Great “starter” mechanism

• If need to generate pilot data

• For proof of concept or methods development

• Can be useful while are doing R01, providing ‘bridge’ funding

R03 Small

Research Grant

Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (R21)

• Investigation of novel scientific ideas/ model systems, tools, or technologies with potential for significant impact on biomedical or biobehavioral research

• Combined (2 years) direct cost < $275,000.

• Evaluated on the conceptual framework, level of innovation, potential to advance knowledge

• Justified through literature citations, data from other services, or, when available, from investigator-generated data

• Preliminary data are not required for R21 applications; include if available

R21 Exploratory Research

Grant

Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (R21)–

When to Apply • Novel, risky idea

• Larger scale methods development

• Can help to have a more established collaborator

• Scale of research must be appropriate for the mechanism

R21 Exploratory Research

Grant

R01 NIH Investigator Initiated Research Project Grant Program

• Discrete, specified research project

• NIH’s most commonly used grant program

• Advance permission required for $500,000 or more (direct costs) in any year

• Budget reviewed separately from science, must “match”

• Generally awarded 3 to 5 years

• Utilized by all ICs R01

Investigator-Initiated

Research Grant

R01 Grant Program – When to Apply

• Have some evidence of ability to manage external funds

• Have evidence of publication productivity

• Have sufficient support for science proposed

• Have pilot data

• Typically hypothesis-generating or hypothesis-testing

• Aim to submit during NI/ESI eligibility R01

Investigator-Initiated

Research Grant

Writing an NIH Grant

So How Does This All Work?

• You have an idea! • You identify an appropriate NIH institute • You find out about their priorities • You talk with a Program Official • You decide which of the eligible funding mechanisms are the best fit

(e.g. R01) • You watch the funding announcements and see an RFA, RFP,

PAR, or PA that fits your research • You identify best study section

• You write the grant!

“Research Plan”

1. Introduction to Application (Resubs or Revisions Applications)

2. Specific Aims

3. Research Strategy a. Significance b. Innovation c. Approach Preliminary Studies for New Applications Progress Report for Renewal/Revision Applications Research Design and Methods

Keys to Writing Your Best Possible Grant Application

Write the grant!

• Plan Ahead

• Mentor Review

• External Review

• Editorial Review

NIH Review Process

NIH Review Process • Scientific Review Officer

• Completeness of application

• Assign reviewers

• Peer Review

• Written critique & numerical scores for review criterion

• Score/No Score; percentile

• Summary Statement

• Institute makes funding decisions

Center for Scientific

Review (CSR)

CSR Study Section

or Institute

NIH Review Criteria

• Overall Impact/priority score – likelihood to exert sustained, powerful influence on field

• Scored Criteria (1-9):

• Significance

• Investigator(s)

• Innovation

• Approach

• Environment

Confessions of a Reviewer • Reviewers are busy, tired people; grant reviews are

on top of their day job

• Impressions of the grant are formed early

• Of the 20-30 people on the study section

• Likely only 1or 2 are experts on your topic • Likely only 3 have read your grant

• Reviewers read many grants for each meeting; “stories” are easier to remember and to convey

• If you make the reviewer work harder (e.g. complex writing, minimal margins), they may be less generous in scoring

If Nothing Else, Remember There’s One Key to Success!

• You have to sell your ideas to reviewers

• You have to inspire the Reviewer to be your advocate in the Study Section

Grant is Submitted- Now what?!

• Put on Your Armor!

• Start your next grant

• Watch for Score- Make Provisional Plans

• Watch for Summary Statements

• Ask Mentors/Colleagues to read

• Talk with Program Official

• Identify Fixable/Non-Fixable Issues

• Plan Resubmission – you get one shot!

Do the Happy Dance…

Developing your Research Program & Funding Portfolio

How to Design a Funding Stream

• Once funded, keep an eye on your/staff coverage levels

• Plan for next funding opportunity based on progress in your science AND funding levels

• Anticipate at least a 2-year process for getting an idea funded

KE J 2014

F M A M J Jul A S O N D

R01 #1

30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30

R01 #2

30 30 30

Sub #1

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Sub #2

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Dept 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

TOT 100 100 100 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70 70

KE Coverage (% effort per mechanism)

How to develop a research program

• Your Resources: • Your ideas

• Don’t panic • Expose yourself to opportunities to think, learn, and explore

ideas • Carve time out to think and write

• Your read on the gap areas in the literature

• Your mentors

• Harvard Catalyst, CRISP/NIH REPORTER

• Pilot grant opportunities

Develop a Research Program

• Pilot grant opportunities

• Write a 2-paragraph lay-ish brief of your interest areas to share with chair, mentor, development offices

• Watch for relevant announcements

• Use multiple submissions, but consider complementary projects

• Look for “add-on” opportunities

How to become funded –

• And no, it’s not exactly the same as developing a research program!

• Idea

• Commitment • Grant writing skills

Commitment • Passion

• Attitude

• I can’t I can and I will

• I don’t have time I will reorder my priorities

• There’s too much competition I welcome the chance to compete

• It’s good as it is now It can always be better

• I’ll submit now and “get in line” I won’t submit until it’s the very best grant I can write

• Time

Planning & Strategy

• Plan for specific grant submission deadlines, and lay out specific timeline

• Then add 2-3+ months to timeline

Project B R21

Project B Milton Fund

Project A ACS

Project B Santa Fund

Project A R21

Project C Smith Fund NI Award

Questions?